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Bama-Michigan highlights season-opening buffet

Best bet

The opening weekend of the college football season is sort of like an all-you-can eat buffet. Usually, most of what’s laid out doesn’t look particularly appealing, but there is a lot of it.

You’ll walk away full if not totally satisfied, and there’s always a chance to find a few really tasty dishes — such as No. 9 South Carolina on the road against feisty Vanderbilt tonight, No. 24 Boise State visiting No. 13 Michigan State on Friday night, and Georgia Tech at No. 16 Virginia Tech on Monday night.

The chef’s special comes Saturday night, when the center of the college football world will be Arlington, Texas. No. 8 Michigan plays No. 2 and defending national champion Alabama at Dallas Cowboys Stadium. No hyperbole necessary, and you certainly won’t get any from Nick Saban.

“I think first games are always really exciting for everyone. We are really looking forward to the opportunity that we have to play against a really good, well coached Michigan team,” the Crimson Tide coach said. “It’s always exciting to have, for us at least, to have a challenging game in the opener. I think that really excites the players throughout the year and not just this week, so we are looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge that we have.”

The Wolverines and the Tide have only played only three times and never before in the regular season, so there is plenty of reason to get pumped for the opener, even though Michigan is nearly a two-touchdown underdog.

The Wolverines hold a 2-1 advantage in the series, including the 2000 Orange Bowl, a 35-34 Michigan overtime victory in what is now best known as Tom Brady’s last college game. He did OK.

The current Michigan quarterback is OK, too. Denard Robinson is speedy and unpredictable. The Alabama defense has been revamped after losing about half the key players from last year’s top-ranked unit. But most of the new starters were four- and five-star recruits, so no need to worry about the Tide.

After an offseason filled with Penn State scandal and BCS changes, it’s finally time to play some games. And make some picks: